₦airaland Forum

JustAPasserBy:
Guys with experience please help.

I parked my car in the work place parking lot (forgot to pull the handbrake). And went into the office.
During storm Franklyn, car rolled back and ‘rested’ on a Mercedes Benz E. This broke the Mercedes Benz Logo on the front grill.
I met with Mercedes owner and asked if repairs could be arranged outside of insurance.
Today, I received a quote of £1,052 Which is really plenty (considering the small damage as I perceive it).

Now I am thinking of involving my insurance company. Is this a good idea please?
Will my premium increase massively next year? Will this count as me involved in an accident? I am in year 3 of No Claims. Please is the No claims bonus (after 5 years) usually big? Is it worth it?


Please people Mek Ina No jump and pass. Help a sister.

Hello!. I have just googled Mercedes Benz logo and they are about £50 brand new so a quote of £1,052 does seem to be extortionate. If it was about £200, I would say go for it.

Is the person aware that you didn’t secure your handbrake? If not, I will go to the insurer and tell them it was a natural disaster, the wind made the car roll backward. (Please don’t judge me ).
If you go to your insurer, it will definitely affect your premiums going forward. I can’t tell you by how much though. Maybe you should try a renewal quote on a comparison website and see how much they quote you.

justwise:
How long did you heat or use the £20 Topup? It’s absolutely possible to use up £20 within a day if you used it longer than necessary

Justwise, the photo says the meter is currently £17.95 or so in debt. Surely she couldn’t have used £37.95 since yesterday.

Akorkor:
I got an update now after calling scottish power and I got to know that the previous tenant is using OVOenergy. Pay as you go.

I don't even understand this thing anymore

Ok, call Ovo and see what they have to say. The previous tenant’s account must surely be in debt.

Akorkor:
An old key of electricity was given to us. So I am creating a new account for us now.

Regards,

You need to call them this morning since the key has ‘swallowed’ your £20 top up.

Akorkor:
OMG! I think the person is owning.

Did you get a new key from Scottish Gas when you moved in or are you using the previous tenant’s key? It’s been a while since I lived in a house with key meter so I might be wrong, but I think your provider should have given you a new key which resets the balance. They can then pursue the previous tenant or landlord for the bad debt.

Akorkor:
Someone should save me and enlighten me abeg.
We moved to our apartment yesterday, and the gas and electricity are on Scottish energy.

We were advised not to change because of the spike in energy tariff.

We bought £20 to use the Gas yesterday for cooking and heating, and this morning it's reading 0.00. It's my eyes disturbing me.

Please advice and also how do I change the person name on the energy

How much should we budget for gas to heating and cooking

House energy rating is C. My eyes is turnionion

That’s a bit steep. Did the prepaid meter have a negative balance when you moved in?

[

Temi231:
I went to this store and got a shock of my life. Red pepper(Rodo) £16, something that can not fill custard paint. Haa mogbe.... Is that how we used to do �� . Maybe the guy made mistake in our bill sha. Hubby is planning to go there and buy the same quantity to see the price again.

Just to give update. Thank you

What is Rodo? Is it Scotch Bonnet? I buy from my local Tesco, they sell about 6 for 90p.

Akorkor:
UK elders in the house I greet, ohh.

Please do you have a specific place to buy a TV? We went to Curry as the closest place to us, but the price we got was much more than what we saw online. Can we also Order online? Also they don’t have the brand we wanted.

Do we also need to check for energy consumption rating for the TV? I saw on the cartons of the last tenant , he uses Rating A. Does this matter.

Also, how long does the broadband people come around to fix internet for us. I am using Virgin media as is the strongest In my area.

Also, do you think it's advisable to go into insurance for the house? I feel like since it's not my home no need, but they are saying because of my valuables. Thank you

Hello, I can answer some of your questions. You can buy your electronics from AO, Curry’s, John Lewis, and even Costco.I favour John Lewis because most of their electronics come with extended warranty. Best to buy it online as they will all offer free delivery to your home. If you buy it in store, you will have the added stress of transporting it home.

It is advisable to have a content insurance for the house whether this is absolutely necessary is open to debate.

Is there a phone line already present in your property? if yes the engineers may not need to visit your home in person to turn on the broadband. They will send you a router and the ADSL micro filter which you will use to set up the broadband and on the day of the switch, they will turn on the broadband remotely. If there’s no phone line, they will need to visit to install one. I think it’s BT openreach that does this bit but I might be wrong.

CheesyTee:
Yeah. I understand.

This would have been helpful to be reimbursed. Flight and accommodation especially. Considering I’m taking the kids.

I’ve spent about £2000 already.

When you eventually settle down and have a permanent address in Lewis, you should sign up for Loganair’s islander discount. This is available to all islanders and offers them subsidised flights to the mainland. I think the ferry companies also have a similar discount scheme available to islanders.

Mamatukwas:
Them paying can be the least of his problems. You might have to grapple with
1. Legality: Right license, right boundaries etc
2. Higher premiums: which may stick for a while having an accident soon after passing
3: Loosing your NCB: Doesn’t apply to him but is a valid reason for out of pocket settlement
4. Possibly loosing his license and starting over if the issue is blown up.

So yeah. Settle off the books if you can especially when you’re at fault.

True talk!

CheesyTee:
How £4000 turn £400? Lol

I saw for NHS Orkney, their relocation allowance is £8,000 for band 4 and above and I was already thinking I should have applied there.

The maximum amount allowable (tax free) by HMRC is £8,000 however this does not mean that you will receive the entire amount from your employer. The amount you receive will depend on the qualifying expenses you claim for with the relevant supporting documents. For instance if the cost of hiring a moving van is £3,000, your employer will only reimburse £3,000 when you present the receipt. They are not going to dash you £8,000 for jolly

Also check the policy of your employer as some employers may require you to repay the money if you leave the company or trust within a certain time.

Mamatukwas:
You’re even lucky. When my boy turned 3 (he’s an April baby) he couldn’t start till September

Cut off is April 1st abi March 31st. Thank God it’s behind us now.

One of the few dividends of the SNP government. During my time, we were only entitled to 15 hrs per week from 3 to 5 years.

umarwy:
He has a wrong insurance. I.e provisional license and driving alone without l plates

We are still observing the situation as he told the other party he will fix there car 100£, the problem it was a company/work car so the individual doesn't have have final say. The individual still took pictures and his car plate etc. And told him he will be in touch

Did this involve the police? He might get away with it if the police are not involved and he agrees to repair the other car out of pocket without involving his insurance (or lack of) company.
However if the police are involved, he should expect a fine and some points on his non-existent license. This is in addition to footing the repair costs.

Lexusgs430:
With my plan, the provider taxed, insured, maintained the vehicle ..........

All I did was 'add fuel'........

I remember them advertising such plans on the radio then…..’just add fuel’

Mine just covers the three year servicing and the first year’s road tax. Annual mileage is restricted to 9,000 with 7p for any additional mileage. Due to working from home these past two years, I’m no where near the mileage limit. Albeit if I was going into the office everyday, I would have maxed it out by now.

Temi231:
Yeah. That means if I go for the plan, they take care of insurance and all. It's just for me to drive, buy fuel and pay the monthly charge right?

You will need to insure yourself, fuel the car and pay the road tax. You will require an MOT if the car is more than 3 years old.

Temi231:
Talking about PCH, how frugal is this?

Some people might see it as throwing money down the drain but it works for me. A car is a diminishing asset, once you drive it out of the forecourt it looses its value so there’s really no point in buying and owning a brand new car. With outright purchase, you will have an asset to hold but with leasing, you will have nothing after three years and will start the whole process again. It’s the same analogy as renting/buying a house, the only difference is that land and buildings appreciate in value whereas cars depreciate.

You can buy the Fiesta if you can get someone to check it over for you. I appreciate this might be difficult considering you are new in the country. Where was the car advertised? Is it on Facebook or Gumtree or it from a car dealer? At least with a dealer, you will have someone to hold responsible if the car is a duff,

Lexusgs430:
In Nigeria, we still have many vehicles from the 90's on the road o. .....

Biko, make madam buy wetin budget cover o .....

Haha! Fair point but in Naija it’s a not a legal requirement for a car to be road worthy though.

If she can get a mechanic or someone that knows about cars to test drive the car and check it over before purchasing…..no wahalla.

I do PCH and put the car back after three years. No MOT plus free servicing, gives me peace of mind. I used to buy outright but had a very bad experience with a Kuga since then I use the leasing route.

Lexusgs430:
My instructor after 5 lessons was adamant, that I was not yet ready for the test (I knew I was fully ready)......

Needless to say, I passed it at first attempt (to my instructors shock and amazement). .....

Wow! That’s no mean feat. I wasn’t driving in Nigeria so had to learn from scratch. I had over 30 paid lessons plus unpaid lessons with Hubby and neither of them thought I was ready when I went in for the test. I had just had my daughter and my mom was visiting from Naija, she encouraged me to book the test even though hubby and instructor were of contrary opinion. I did and passed on first attempt with three minors to the amazement of both hubby and instructor.
Fast forward 11 years later, I can say it was money well spent although at that time it was draining a hole in my pocket. It gives you freedom and independence especially living in rural Scotland where bus services are few and far between.

Temi231:
Master. What do you say about Ford fiesta 2006 model with 61k mileage? Price is £1500?

I’m not a car expert but personally, I wouldn’t go for a 2006 model. You don’t want to buy a car and then end up spending nearly the same amount to get it to pass MOT thereafter. You may also not be able to get breakdown cover for it because it will be more liable to breakdown.

canadaishome:
How many hours of driving lessons would you recommend for brush up purposes?

You could book one or two lessons in the first instance, an honest driving instructor will access your driving and give you an honest feedback with an indicative number of lessons required to pass the test.

Note the operating word is honest though, some of them are only interested in your custom and money.

Temi231:
How many kg? Is it nice. The uncle bens rice that I bought from sainsbury was really nice but they are counted. Is tesco rice nice and not like all those yeye mushy mushy long grains I got from lidi. This culture shock na wa real wa oo

Tesco’s easy cook long grain rice is nice. The mushy rice you are referring to is Basmati Rice. There’s a technique for cooking it to avoid the clumpiness.

Walepro:
Hello house
Pls how easy is it to get a student job in aberdeen city, because I’ve been seeing a lot of discouragement about the city

If it’s a student job you are looking for, you can try the supermarkets and clothing stores. They are always looking for staff.

deept:
On falling trees, that was how one guy knocked on my door to give quote to fell a tree outside my house. I no ask for quote or anything o, but just to be nice and I have been thinking about removing the tree I said ok. He looked at the tree and said £750 pounds, na so I burst out laughing. He asked why I was laughing, I said he shouldn't worry, the tree is not disturbing anybody make him leave am as e dey. The way these blue collar people charge Mehn!!! No be here

Abeg storm Eunice come my side help me uproot this tree free of charge o.

If the storm uproots the tree you won’t be guaranteed the direction of fall. It might end up destroying your car in the driveway or falling on the roof depending on the height. May be best to get a variety of quotes and go with the cheapest option rather than wait for Mother Nature.

Temi231:
God bless everyone. Please let’s maintain some sanity . Justwise thank you for sanitizing this thread.

E jo please let’s it it easy on one another.

I have a question ohh Scotland people. Please where una dey get bag of rice ohh. Abi they don’t sell big rice in this country ni? Tired of small small rice Biko. Also, I need palm oil. I have visited Aldi, lidi, Iceland, sainsbury, tesco, Morrison but no palm oil and big rice oo. Please I need direction. Thank you and Good morning everyone

I doubt you will find bags of rice like we know it. Oyibo no dey chop plenty rice. They buy the small 2 kg bag and cook only 100g per person so it lasts them forever. I’m sure I have seen 10kg bags in Costco but your best bet will be the African shops in Glasgow.

Akorkor:
I am looking for your quotes and advice on car purchases: Please I won't mind going back to read the pages

I wouldn’t advise you to get a car so soon after arrival. Driving here is a totally different ball game from Naija and it comes with a lot of costs. I would first familiarise myself with the roads and road signs before thinking about purchasing a vehicle.

sweetoma:
Hello House, I finally land on this thread. Praise God and everyone who gave invaluable advise on the study visa thread. We arrived 2 weeks ago but I have been busy searching for accommodation etc and settling in. I have contacted the council about school and chosen 4 schools for my son. I did everything via email and phone call. Do I need to do anything else ? And will I be required to pay any fees for uniforms etc ? In addition do I need to visit the actual schools or just wait to hear back from the council ? Finally I am studying business analytics, so we are learning the basics of R and data visualization, I’m also learning python and SQL on my own so I can position to apply for data analyst roles in addition to business analyst roles. Can any one give advise on how to get graduate tier 2 sponsorship jobs in these (tech/business) fields. Also when should I start applying. In addition, hubby is has a BSc in accounting and Masters in Marketing. What are his possible job prospects for tier 2 sponsorship? Please any and every advise will be appreciated. Also we’d like introduction to the Nigerian community in Bournemouth. Thanks once again

I don’t know about Bournemouth but in Scotland where I am, there is a zoning system. You can’t just apply to any random school. You kids will be placed at the school closest to their home address.

The school will also have an official supplier of crested school uniform with the school’s badge. You can also purchase from the high street but this will just be plain uniforms with no logo.

Preshyi:
It's for everything but his pension contribution is insignificant, about £60. Not sure what's basic rate tax code.

Ok, we are all entitled to personal allowance of £12,500 for 2021/22 tax year. This means the first £12,500 you earn is tax free. However for ease of administration, HMRC pro-rates this money over 12 months so every month a portion of your income will be tax free depending on how much you earn.

A basic rate tax code means all your income is taxed at 20% which means no personal allowance deduction. HMRC uses this as an emergency tax code when the employer has not completed the correct paperwork for the employee or if they suspect the employee has a second job which is using up their personal allowance.

Preshyi:
Hello guys,
Please how do I know if someone is being overtaxed if there is anything like that? My husband earns a little over 2k in a month and get deduction of almost 600pounds. It's just outrageous and we dont know if he is being taxed correctly. Please help.

As already advised, you need to check his tax code. Is the £600 just PAYE or does that include NI and Pension contributions? He’s probably on a Basic Rate tax code.

Akorkor:
Hello Everyone, please help ohh. I noticed no one talks about Giffgraff. I registered for Lebara sim, but it's taking them so long to deliver, and I need to register for Bank and everything else. The post office guy gave me a free Giffgraff sim. Maybe he is advertising for them . I also read some good review about them but needs to be sure if they are okay before my Lebara sim get to me

Hi we all use giffgaff in my household and I have been with them for about 10 years and have had no reason to complain. Then international calls to Nigeria was 3p but that has steadily risen to 9p per minute. I also like their goodybags for UK data and calling as they are very good value. One thing to note is that they don’t have a customer service telephone number like other network providers. If you have any problems, you will need to post your questions on the giffgaff community forum where other members will help resolve the issue.

Mamatukwas:
P.S- I can’t find her on Instagram. Can you post exact link or page name? Thank you.

Sure! Her handle is HairbyMaryees. You can also look at her website (https://www.mayreessalon.co.uk/) to get an idea of prices.

Mamatukwas:
On the topic of Glasgow, does anyone know a loctitian in Glasgow/Paisley or that general area?

Thank you.

I don’t know of any in Glasgow but if you don’t mind hopping on a train to Aberdeen, Maryees Salon is very good. I’ve seen a few pictures on her insta.

Mamatukwas:
I read what you shared. Congratulations I’m fascinated by where your job will be located. Sounds like a different magical world. Please keep us posted as to how your experience is generally. All the best.

Scottish Islands are known to be picturesque but be prepared for remote living. They are also very insular and quite isolating. I know because I lived in one for 5 years and couldn’t wait to move back to the mainland and to civilisation. Not sure I would recommend it to someone that has just recently arrived in UK.